Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published Jan. 18, 2006

Sometimes art is only skin deep

In 1997 I visited a licensed tattoo artist's workplace in Crossville and then wrote a column on the subject. Our state legislature had just adopted licensing for tattoo artists the year before. The client had to be 18 years old to receive a tattoo. Even if their parent signed a waver, it could not be done on a person younger. One reason for the licensing was concern over blood-borne diseases. Today inks have been much improved and it is not necessary to penetrate as deep into the skin to apply the design. That column was titled "Tattoos, like diamonds, are forever." It is possible to remove a tattoo but it is a difficult procedure.

Recently the Nashville paper published an article on a local tattoo business which is a "Christian ministry in the form of a tattoo shop." Co-owners Billy Henry and his wife, Lynn, have been in business in downtown Nashville for two years. Henry belongs to the Christian Tattoo Association. This international organization of Christian tattooists quietly spread the gospel to clients who may not feel comfortable visiting a church.

Although they have many Christian designs such as crosses, ichthus, the fish symbol, and Hebrew letters, they offer a number of secular designs. Henry refuses to do Satanic themes or any that suggest hate or are racially offensive.

Last fall I wrote a column about another skin art form using henna. Decorating the skin with henna has been used for thousands of years as has tattooing but it lasts only a short time. It was not until I received an e-mail in December that I realized there was a connection between these two practices.

John Hedgecoth of Pleasant Hill was my informant. I was familiar with the Hedgecoth name because they were among the early settlers in our town. Many of the family stayed. In the phone book there is a full column of Hedgecoths. I had never met John but I knew he was formerly Commissioner of Indian Affairs for Tennessee. Currently he serves on the State Title VI Compliance Commission. He is also founder and president of the Tennessee Native Veterans Society.

When he saw the column on henna, he wrote that he and his wife had been practicing henna art for about a year. They first offered it at powwows as a fundraiser for the Tennessee Native Veterans Society. It proved to be so popular he and Pam decided to offer it along with face painting and body art to the general public.

John explained that henna art began as a traditional ceremony of passage those many years ago. Today it has become very popular in the United States. Those who get a "tattoo" style design say it like test driving a tattoo. He invites the public to visit their Web site to see some of their henna work and face painting. It is at www.home.earthlink.net/~skinsations.

Who would have ever guessed henna services are available in Crossville, TN?

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Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday. She may be reached at ebrush@frontiernet.net